“I won’t surrender, even if I die. I won’t surrender to the enemy.”
“If that’s your choice.”
Aaron casually spun the sword he took from the child.
As the sword circled gracefully through the air, the child, captivated by the movement, desperately took a deep breath when it stopped.
Twisting his lips into a grin, Aaron gripped the sword.
With a powerful force that highlighted his arm muscles, Aaron stabbed the child in one go.
Thunk.
The painful moans of the child resonated through the beautiful garden.
“Ugh, really stabbed.”
The child slowly lay down on the grassy field.
He even opened his eyes slightly to check if there were no rocks on the ground.
“That’s why you should have surrendered.”
“Merciless bastard. Still, please, at least my noble sacrifice…”
“That’s the commander’s authority. It’s none of your concern.”
“Then, at least one last request.”
“Last request?”
“On the left side of my desk, there’s a secret letter. Please burn it. The princess shouldn’t see it.”
With a sorrowful expression, the child closed his eyes.
“When I grow up and become the commander of the guard, I wanted to protect the princess.”
“When exactly did you get stabbed? Is your mouth still alive?”
“Don’t forget my request. It’s a sign of respect for the time we aimed our swords at each other.”
“Should I stab you again?”
“Gagh.”
Facing Aaron’s threat, the child bravely met his end, screaming a valiant death cry.
Aaron’s gaze deepened as he looked at the fallen enemy commander.
Although he was an enemy, the commander was quite an impressive opponent.
Rest in a good place.
As Aaron mourned the enemy’s soul, a familiar voice reached him.
“Commander.”
It was a clear and pure voice that didn’t match the gruesome battlefield.
Following the melodic tone, Aaron’s eyes softened instantly.
Approaching from both sides, the princess they both wanted to protect stood blinking.
Each flutter of her eyelids shattered the light that touched her dense eyelashes.
“Is the story over?”
“Yeah. But what are you doing here, Commander?”
Aaron stared at Delia, twisting his lips.
How dare someone covet my light.
He defeated those who recklessly attacked.
A triumphant and arrogant smile appeared on Aaron’s face.
“I was in the middle of a battle to protect the princess.”
“What? A battle?”
At Aaron’s absurd words, Delia looked around.
In the wide grassy field, Imperial soldiers who had followed as guards were playing with the children without holding back.
Just a while ago, the children were crying, but now they were hanging onto the Imperial soldiers, laughing heartily.
“The atmosphere is quite different from before. They were scared and terrified earlier.”
“We gave them a pretend war game.”
“Ah, I see.”
Only then did Delia understand the situation in front of her and nodded.
“But about him.”
Aaron pointed to the child lying as if dead.
At the sound of the princess’s voice, the child’s eyelids twitched.
He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back the words he wanted to say.
Even so, the child did not get up until the end.
“He said there’s a letter he wrote to the princess. He asked me to burn it.”
Aaron looked down at the fallen child and spoke seriously.
“Is there a plan to kidnap the princess?”
“No way.”
“I guess I need to investigate. Where is this child’s room?”
When Aaron uttered cold words, the child finally raised his body.
“Mister, you promised to burn that. What if I tell the princess about it?”
His expression was full of dissatisfaction, betrayed trust.
Meanwhile, he firmly exerted strength on his arm, trying to prevent the wooden knife stuck between his armpits from falling out.
“I won. Whatever you do, it’s up to my mood.”
“Insolent. Wait and see. Next time, I will definitely win and flatten your nose.”
“I’ll step on you gracefully next time too.”
Aaron and the leader child’s fiery glares clashed fiercely in the air.
Delia alternately looked at the two, chuckling.
“Is the relationship between the commander and the children good or bad?”
Delia’s curiosity was finally satisfied when the visit to the convent was over and it was time to leave.
As Aaron was checking if Delia had safely mounted the carriage for departure.
Someone called out to Aaron.
“Mister.”
Turning around, he saw the fallen enemy commander standing a short distance below his eyes.
“Why?”
“Sir, I eat a lot of beans and carrots, so I’ll definitely be bigger than you.”
“Why are you coming to me and saying that?”
“If… if I become bigger than you, can I be your subordinate, sir?”
The chubby cheeks of the cautious child turned red as he spoke.
The child fidgeted unnecessarily, avoiding Aaron’s gaze as if confessing love, and Aaron, after silently watching the child for a moment, asked a question.
“What’s your name?”
“Marrend.”
Aaron muttered to himself and pulled out the dagger hanging from his waist.
“Marrend.”
Marrend stared blankly at the sharp glint reflected in the dagger.
It was a sight not visible on the rough and blunt wooden sword.
The child, as if enchanted, stared at the dagger with his eyes.
“Wow.”
Aaron, feeling the child’s gaze, casually rotated the dagger.
He skillfully drew a beautiful curve and cut off the button on the sleeve.
“Remember that, Marrend.”
With Aaron’s light gesture, a small light flew towards Marrend.
Marrend reached out his hand and grabbed the sparkling light that felt hard and cold.
On Marrend’s fair palm was a gold button engraved with the Iris emblem symbolizing the Stürleitz Empire.
“When you grow up enough to hold a real sword, come find me. I’ll support you in the name of Duke Bergen with whatever you need.”
In disbelief, the child blinked his eyes and checked again.
“Really? Sir, is it true?”
Aaron patted Marrend’s head.
By the time the child from Iorenti grew up to become a subordinate of the Stürleitz Empire’s commander…
Perhaps the unwished reconciliation between the two countries would be complete.
“If that happens, I’ll gladly accept you as a subordinate.”
With that, Aaron lightly smiled and mounted the carriage.
As the Seopjeonggong party left the convent, the Mother Superior and the children waved their hands with a hint of regret.
“Take care.”
“See you again next time.”
Among those who came to see them off, only Marrend stood without shaking hands.
He couldn’t shake hands for fear that the gold button he held might fall.
Marrend vividly captured the departing Seopjeonggong party with a clear gaze.
The man whispering something close, the princess covering her mouth while bursting into laughter.
The princess, who was whispering and talking, threw something and ran out.
The man quickly caught it and followed her.
As friends entered, until they became so distant that they couldn’t be seen like dots.
Marrend stood in place without budging, watching them.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
